No county changes in Arizona’s latest COVID-19 business benchmarks

PHOENIX – It was status quo in Thursday’s Arizona COVID-19 business benchmarks update.

For the second consecutive week, 12 of Arizona’s 15 counties were in the moderate or minimal spread stages — the levels required before businesses closed in June under executive order can resume operations.

Those businesses — indoor gyms, bars operating as restaurants, theaters, water parks and tubing operators – in Yuma, Gila and Graham counties must remain closed because coronavirus spread there is still classified as substantial.

Maricopa, Pima, Mohave, Coconino, Navajo, Apache, Yavapai, Pinal, Santa Cruz and Cochise counties remained in the moderate stage. The impacted businesses there can reopen under capacity restrictions and while following other health safety requirements that vary by industry.

Greenlee and La Paz counties remained in the minimal stage, which means the capacity limits there have been raised for certain businesses.

Spread stage is based on benchmarks in three metrics that must be hit for at least the two most recent weeks of data, which is updated each Thursday on the state’s COVID-19 business dashboard.

The benchmark data updated each week is at least 12 days old to account for lags in reporting, ensuring that assessments are based on accurate statistics. Therefore, the latest update covers the weeks starting Aug. 19 and 23 (through Aug. 29).

The moderate spread range is defined as 10-100 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents, a PCR test positive percentage rate of 5-10% and a rate of hospital visits for COVID-like illness of 5-10%.

Minimal spread is defined as fewer than 10 cases per 100,000 residents, a positive test rate below 5% and a hospital COVID-like illness rate below 5%.

Yuma County was on pace to enter the moderate stage this week, but its positivity percentage jumped to 10.1%, just over the threshold, for the week of Aug. 23.

Maricopa County is in the minimal stage for the hospital COVID-like illness rate metric but is at least two weeks away, and probably longer, from reaching that level in the other metrics.

Once the moderate benchmarks are hit, a business has to submit an online attestation form and post it in a conspicuous location at the facility before it resumes operations.

Indoor gyms and fitness centers can operate at 25% of capacity in the moderate range and 50% of capacity in the minimal range.

Bars and nightclubs that offer dine-in restaurant service can operate at 50% of capacity in both the moderate and minimal ranges.

Indoor theaters are limited to 50% capacity in both the moderate and minimal ranges.

Water parks/tubing operators can operate at 50% capacity in both the moderate and minimal ranges.

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